Article-supporting device.



I. E. BURNS.

ARTICLE SUPPORTING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED 0cT.26. I9I7.

l ,272,772. Patented July 16, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

1. E. BURNS.

ARTICLE SUPPORTING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 26, ISI?.

Patented July 16, .1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Tan/:x3

Icn

JOSEPH E. BURNS, OF` CANASTOTA, NEW YORK.

ARTICLE-SUPPORTING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 16, 1918.

Application filed October 26, 1917. Serial No. 198,589.

To all whom t mag/concern: 1 v

Be it known that I, JosnrH E. BURNS, a citizen of the United States, and resident lofl Canastota, in the county of Madison, in

the State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Article- Supporting Devices, of which the following, faken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to certain improvements in article supporting devices, and is particularly adapted for supporting articles of glassware and the like for dipping in an acid or other solution.

It is well known that the finishing and polishing of cut glass articles is rendered more economical and more effective if after cutting the articles are immersed or dipped in a suitable acid solution, but in effecting this dipping operation it is essential that the acid should be kept from contact with the interior or uncut portion of the glass article and it is for effecting this dippingy operation in a rapid, easy and efficient manner,

and without exposing the uncut portions of the glass, that my device is peculiarly adapted and designed. .y

The main feature of the invention, in combination with the'y broad essentials of the. device, relates tothe construction of the immediate support for the article to be dipped, which supportreadily adjusts itself to the article to form an acid-tight jointvand permits the dipping of numerous articles of various sizes and shapes with thesame dipping device. 1

i Othervobjects relate to the details of construction of the device, as will more fullyv appear from the following detailed description, taken iirconiiection with the accompanying drawings, in Which-f l f Figure l is a top bodying features ,of thisinvention; y

Fig. 2 is a cross section, taken on line 2--2, Fig. 1, illustrating in addition a means for producing suction. .i f Fig. ,3 is a view of a form of deviceslightly different from thatshown in Fig. l; f

Fig. 4 is a cross section taken on Fig.A 5 is aV sectionalview of a form of device 1n which the -vacuumv is automatically f retained within the article,afterthevacuuin producing means has beencut olf.

The inventiomasfshown in Figsl and 2,

plan view'of a deviceem- Y-10-,- to the. free edge of the cup,

line

comprises a hollow casing or chamber 1- from which radiate a series of tubes or pipes ,-2- to which vertical tubes -3- are connected by means of unions lt the unions 1n this instance being closed except for the vcommunication between tubes -2- and ,-3- as by plugs 5-.

Other forms of union than those shown may be used.

Preferably, the upper end of the vertical tubes -3- are externally threaded for the reception of pairs of Washers -6- and -7- held in place by a suitable nut 8 having a threaded relation with the tube. The washers may also, if desired, have a similar threaded relation with the tube or may be slidably engaged therewith.

Between the washers -6- and `T on each tube -3- is positioned the base por- Ation of a supporting cup -9- for the article to be dipped. These cups may be formed of rubber or other suitable material, preferably of a resilient flexible nature. The cups are of hollow conical formation with an upper flat wall -10- of circular form and having a central opening through which the tubes -3- extend, and a side wall -11- integral with said upper wall and circular in crosssection and flaring downwardly and outwardly therefrom. T he wall -11- is of considerable thickness for the purpose of giving considerable rigidity to this port-ion of the structure, while the side wall at its point of connection with the upper Wall is of substantially the same thickness as said upper wall. The thickness of said side wall decreases gradually from said point of connection to the free edge of the cup so that the free edge of the cup is of considerably greater flexibility than .the portions nearer the upper wall -lO-, such flexibility heilig a feature in addition to the resilient nature of the material and gradually increasing downwardly from vthe wall Y rendering the cup peculiarly efficient in the formation of a liquid-tight `ioint with articles of various sizes and shapes when suction is aplthe size and arrangement of the same, may

be varied.

suitable vacuum producing device, such as the device 14- herewith shown, which is adapted for use with an ordinary water faucet, a valve being interposed in the Y connectionfor the purpose of retaining the vacuum in the article' to be dipped during the dipping operation, andV when the vacuum .producing device is not operating. 15 i `rThe Varticles to be dipped are placed upon the cups -9- so that their edges rest upon .the tapered side wallsof the cups. The air is then withdrawn from such Y articles through the tubes -3-, the tubes -'2-', and the chamber `-l--, to draw the articles firmly into liquid-tight engagement with the 4cups,the resiliency and the fiexibility Of the cups acting to render the liquid-tight engagement absolute and perfect. The vacuum may then be retained in the communieating portions of vthe device in any suitable way,` as by a shut-olf or valve 15- and the dipping operation may then be effected without any danger of the articles falling from the dipping device or any acid coming vin contact ywith the interior of the articles.

In'Figs. 3 and 4, I have shown a slightly modied forni of device, in that the chamber -`16-' is of considerably larger size ztlian the'chainber -1- and the vertical tubes -17- in construction and. operation `similar to the tubes -3 are mounted directly upon the chamber -16- and may,

as shown, have a threaded relation therewith. The construction of the cups -9- and'the method of mounting the same upon the tubes-l7- isthe same as that shown inFigs. 1 and 2.

For the purpose of forming a handle to be grasped by the operator in using the device, a rod 1S- is connected to the wall of chamber 16- Aand may, as shown, ex-g tend Vsubstantially parallel with the pipe +19- which functions in the same manner as pipe 1Q- -19- is connected by a union- 20e to a'. valve casing -2'1- which in turn may be ,connected vby flexiblehose '-22-4 to a device for producing vacuum.V The union -f-QO.- is athree-way union andfis connected by plug -23-fto the upperl end of' rod 184, lthe plug 423- constituting la gripping handle. It isobvious, however,

thatvariousotlier constructions may be. used and thatmodifications of the exact structure shown maybe made, although the one illus- `trated is considered preferable.

lfIfn Fig. k5, each tube -17- is provided with an automatic Vshut-off valve -24- Vmounted in a vboss Q5- formed in the The upper end of pipe wall of chamber *16- and spring pressed to normally closethe tube -17 but adapted to V be opened bysuction produced in chamber .-*16- withV which the interior boss 425* communicates through a rela- .tiively small orifice -26.

y The operation will be readily understood. 1

lVhen the vacuum in an article supported upon the cup -9 is greater or equal to the vacuum existing in chamber -16-, the valve 24- will-,reinain closed to retain the article upon cup -9*. With this construction the valves l5- and -2lwould not be essential. Y

It should be noted as a feature of great importance that the cups 9* are supported entirely from the central portion of their upper walls and that their sidewalls are entirely free to flex and bend in contact with articles to be dipped, whetherthe same are mechanically forced thereon' or drawn into liquid-tight engagement Vtherewith Vby the production of vacuum therein.

Although I have .shown and described specific constructions as illustra-tive of my invention and have set forth certain features as perhaps preferable intheembodiment shown, I do not desire to limitmyself to the same except in so far as the details or preferred embodiments maybe specifically set forth in the claims hereto appended.

What I claim is l l l. In a device of the class described, Ya hollow casing, a tube in communication therewith, and a cone shapedcup supported from its upper wallonly by said tube.

2. In a. device of the classY described, a' Vhollow casing, `a tube in communication therewith, and a flexible cone shaped cup Vformed of resilient material and supported from its upper wall only-by said tube. Y

3. In a device ofthe class described,-a hollow casing, a tube in communication with the interior of the casing, and a cone shaped cup having a cross wall and a tubular side wall extending downwardly and outwardly Vfrom the cross wall, ,saidl cone shaped cup supported from its upper wall only by said l. In a device y 0f the class described, a hollow casing, a tube in communication with the Vinterior of the casing, anda cone shaped from its upperwall only by said tube'. l

Vcup having a cross wall and a tubular side Y 5. In a device vof Ithev class described, a I

hollow casing,'a tube in communicatioii'with the linterior ofthe casing,a cone shaped cup having across wall anda tubular side wall 'extending downwardly and outwardly' fromv the cross walljsaid cross wall providedwith ari-opening through which saidtube extends,

said cone shaped cup supported from its upper wall only by said tube, and means including parts positioned upon opposite sides of said cross wall for securing the cup to the tube.

6. In a device of the class described, a hollow casing, a tube in communication with the interior of the casing, and a cone shaped cup having a cross wall and a tubular side wall extending downwardly and outwardly from the cross wall and decreasing in thickness downwardly from the cross wall, said cone shaped cup supported from its upper wall only by said tube.

'i'. In a Adevice of the class described, a hollow casing, a tube in communication with the interior or' the casing, and a cone shaped cup having a cross wall and a tubular side wall extending downwardly and outwardly from the cross wall and decreasing in thickness downwardly rom the cross wall, said cross wall provided with an opening through which said tube extends, and said cone shaped cup supported from its upper wall only by said tube.

S. In av device of the class described, a hollow casing, a tube in communication with the inter'or of the casing, a cone shaped cup having cross wall and a tubular side wall extending downwardly and outwardly from the cross wall and decreasing in thickness downwardly from the cross wall, said cross wall provided with an opening through which said tube extends, said cone shaped cup supported from its upper wall only by said tube, and means including parts positioned upon opposite sides of said cross wall for securing the cup to the tube.

9. In a device of the class described, a hollow easing, a tube in communication with the interior of the casing, and a cone shaped cup having a cross wall and a tubular side wall extending downwardly and outwardly from the cross wall and increasing in ilexibility as it extends downwardly from the cross wall, said cone shaped cup supported from its upper wall only by said tube.

10. In a device of the class described, a hollow casing, a tube in communication with the interior or' the casing, and a cone shaped Copies of this patent may be obtained for cup having a cross wall and atubular side wall extending downwardly and outwardly from the cross wall and increasing in flexibility as it extends downwardly from the cross wall, said cross wall provided with an opening through which said tube extends, and said cone shaped cup supported from its upper wall only by said tube.

y 11. In a device of the class described, a hollow casing, a tube in communication with the interior of the casing, a cone shaped cup having a cross wall and a tubular side wall extending downwardly and outwardly from the cross wall and increasing in flexibility as it. extends downwardly from the vcross wall, said cross wall provided with an opening through which said tube extends, said cone shaped cup supported from its upper wall only by said tube, and means including parts positioned upon opposite sides of said cross wall for securing the cup to the tube.

12. In a device of the class described, a cup for supporting an article to be dipped, said cup formed of resilient material and comprising a cross wall and a tubular side wall secured to the cross wall and diverging outwardly as itextends therefrom, and means for supporting said cup with its side wall free to flex and bend inwardly.

13. In a device of the class described, a cup-for supporting an article to be dipped, said cup formed of resilient material and comprising a cross wall and a tubular side wall secured to the cross wall and diverging outwardly and increasing in flexibility as it extends therefrom.

14. In a device of the class described, a cup for supporting an article to be dipped, said 'cup formed of resilient material and comprising a cross wall and a tubular side wall secured to the cross wall and diverging outwardly and decreasing in thickness as it extends therefrom.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set 'my hand this 19th day of October, 1917 JOSEPH E. BURNS.

Witnesses:

HOWARD P. DENIsoN, E. A. THOMPSON.

five cents each, by addressing they Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

